Editorial: Five Things in East County That I Would Like to See Happen in 2016

With another year come and gone, East Contra Costa has seen many high points and many low points. But with 2016 less than 24-hours away, after the champagne glasses are raised, a new chapter begins and a chance at a fresh start.

2016 will be a vital year in East Contra Costa County and it appears the public is paying more attention than ever to what is transpiring locally—in fact, I would argue that the public’s “BS” radar is higher than its ever been when it comes to information being provided by local governments and even news media.

Here are five things I personally want to see happen in 2016. Some of them likely will never happen, but others are really needed and would be a benefit to the public.

5. Self-Awareness of Social Media Chatter
Social media has become the “go to” source for information gathering and conversations. Yet, it continues to be a place for folks to bully and be brave in what they say without consequence—I refer to them as keyboard commandos.

I would like to see people think about what they say prior to posting and be self-aware of what they are posting and determine if it’s appropriate, an immediate reaction they may not mean, or if it’s just ignorant. Selfishly and admittingly this would equate to a lot less moderating of our Facebook page which equals more time for added content.

Words can have consequences or they can have actions; it’s a tough lesson to learn. But here is the tip, on any social media platform, we know who you are. It’s not like you are under an alias. We see your photograph, we see your profile. The question I have is would you make that same comment to someone’s face. Would you say it in front of your grandparent?

In 2016, I’d like to see more discussion and less personal attacks on social media across the board. It starts with self-awareness.

4. City of Antioch Hire a Public Information Officer (PIO)
It’s not that the City of Antioch does not provide information upon request, they do and do it quickly. But the fact one has to request clarifications after they already put it out is a problem. Let’s face it, the communication from the City of Antioch is poorly executed in its messaging. A public information officer would be of great benefit to not only the City of Antioch, but its residents who could get better packaged information that would now be useful to them.

With a PIO, complex issues could be better explained by someone who could meet with key staff, gather the information, and formulate and package the information so that is easy to understand—such as budgets, ordinances, announcements, and citywide campaigns.

This position would help Antioch better communicate in different mediums such as print, social media, and interacting with the media. This position would not be about pushing an agenda, it’s about finding the basic ability and facts to better communicate what city staff is actually doing for the public. Currently, Antioch is failing to inform and thus begins the spread of bad information, duplicated work load by explaining things over and over again, while fighting a mistrust of the public–its a recipe for chaos and is currently being played out.

Given the perceived regression by the City of Antioch, a public information officer may be just what Antioch needs to rebuild the relationship it seems to be losing with the public.

3. City of Oakley Hire a New City Manager, Hit Reset
I would prefer to prop people up to start 2016 versus tearing them down so as simple as I can make it, the Oakley City Council needs to seek out a new city manager as quick as possible.

Oakley has been regressing and making some very poor choices over the last several years—no greater error than Main Street in downtown Oakley, the loss of a power plant and that revenue, treating Oakley veterans as second class citizens to playing favorites with certain non-profits over everyone else, Mr. Montgomery has his hands in all of it.

Now Oakley is in talks over a commuter rail station which would further clog the downtown area and add more homes –its a disaster waiting to happen.

Firing Montgomery in 2016 is unlikely as Oakley’s Council is rather weak and vote as they are guided to via Montgomery. I can think of no greater error than terminating the contract with the Sheriff’s Department. The City was warned multiple times and it was rammed through.

This is not any knock on the police officers at all, in fact, they will be able to provide better service and operations will be much improved, but strictly from a budget standpoint it was never properly vetted in the public and the numbers never seriously discussed. Oakley does have a Year-1 savings which is true, however, I believe within 5 years that Oakley will seek a citywide tax to fund its new police department all in the name of 2 or 3 officers. Oakley will find out there will be added costs which the City and council failed to take into consideration.  That oh-uh moment is at least 3-years out and its going to be a rather expensive oversight.

Montgomery was useful as the city was new and growing, but his ideas are tired, counterproductive and our economic development is non-existent. Meanwhile, residents and businesses grow more frustrated by the day with the city.

All one has to do is look at both Antioch and Brentwood. Both have benefited from new hires. Oakley would benefit from fresh ideas and a new atmosphere at City Hall.

If the current council will not make this decision, three seats are up in November which would give the necessary voters required to move the city into a new direction.

2. Antioch Provide Main Channel Scanner Access
This is an argument where both sides (Police & Public) are right and are wrong at the same time. Officer safety with a scanner is important along with crime in-progress calls, but so is safety of the public by being aware of what may be transpiring nearby.

My goal for 2016 is to find a common ground with the Antioch Police Department to ensure their main channel traffic is accessible to the public—on a delay.

Currently, unless the police department provides a press release, a brief in the city managers weekly report, or wait to view data a week later in the arrest log. In the meantime, in real-time when it may be needed most, the public is in the dark. Police have not taken to twitter or Facebook to alert folks to avoid an area nor have they used their brand new app.

Admittingly, since the scanner was turned off, EastCountyToday traffic has gone up, but more important than our traffic figures is transparency and the more informed people in Antioch are, the better.

I personally have suggested to the police chief several times a work around which includes main channel be open with tactical channels being encrypted. It was rejected. I then suggested the scanner be provided online at a delay tied to police response time—a 10-minut delay. Also rejected. A daily recap or copy of a Watch Commanders report, also rejected.

The problem with the scanner blackout to the public is that the police department determines what is important to the public versus the public deciding what they feel is important… thus a common ground is needed.

With the scanner now off for two months, its still too early in the data to determine if its assisting with reducing crime, my guess is it is, but is it coming at the cost of public trust and unwinding everything the police department worked so hard to achieve in rebuilding public trust prior to its two measures being passed? The answer is yes.

One telling statement coming from conversations with officers in the street is they want the public to know how hard they are working for them. As someone who used to show the public how hard they were working given the anti-police mentality, I cannot agree more.

With the police department firm in its stance at this time even on a compromise, it may take an act of the public to vote out Mayor Wade Harper and councilmembers Monica Wilson and Mary Rocha in 2016 to turn the scanner back on.

1. East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Receive a Revenue Enhancement

Fire coverage in East County should be a top priority to every resident served by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District A District once 8-stations strong now stands at 3-stations. In 2016, the District will likely seek a revenue enhancement for the third time while also preparing to allow the public to decide if it would like an elected fire board or not.

In a perfect scenario, the fire board becomes a 5-person elected board and enough revenue can be generated to ensure a minimum of six-stations (seven would be preferred).

More importantly, I would like to at the very least see an honest and respectful debate over fire service. For far to long, lies and drive-bye statements have been made and the public has run with it due to anti-union statements.

With regards to salary and benefits, it would behoove the public to realize that according to the latest salary survey provided to me on December 30, the East Contra Costa Firefighters on average (benefits included) are paid 28 % less than neighboring districts.

The survey included 14-Districts which included Tracy and Manteca and ECCFPD firefighters still received less pay.

I would like to remind the public that should the fire district implode, both Brentwood and Oakley are required to provide fire service. For Brentwood, its estimated at a cost between $15 million which equates to an automatic tax of $500 per household and you still do not have five-engines responding.

People do not have to agree with a tax and are entitled to vote no, but the debate over fire service should be transparent on the “yes” side and the “no” side and lets address all issues and concerns like adults, not with drive-by accusations.

Honorable Mentions

• City of Oakley & City of Pittsburg move to four-year term mayors.
• Antioch actually decide to “Save the Yard” in its downtown area
• Brentwood and Oakley work together to create a wine trail to promote tourism.
• Increase pay to City Council positions–the return here is better candidates will seek office.
• Sheriffs Office increase its Marine Patrol Unit to full-time year round
• Antioch develop a Housing Authority
• Oakley create a community center

By Michael Burkholder
Publisher of ECT

To contact the publisher, email [email protected]